Bottle capper



C. BREER BOTTLE CAPPER Sept. 4, 1956 Filed Feb. 18, 1954 INVENTOR. Car; Bree?" Unite 2,751,265 Patented Sept. 4, 1956 nine BOTTLE CAPPER Carl Breer, Grosse Pointe, Mich. Application February 18, 1954, Serial No. 411,130 13 Claims. (Cl. 53-300) This invention relates to bottle capping devices and particularly to a manually operable capping device for applying a so-called crown-type cap to the rimmed mouth of a bottle. While this invention is disclosed as a part invention to apply these same improvements to power operated capping mechanisms or the like.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a bottle capping device having means providing for a three-step force application for assembling the cap in sealing engagement with the associated bottle mouth.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a lever operated bottle capping mechanism wherein the first portion of the cap applying lever movement is used merely to properly position the cap on the bottle mouth, the second portion of cap applying lever movement triggers the cap applying mechanism and renders it operative to provide for reshaping of the cap so that it may sealingly engage the associated bottle mouth, and the third and final portion of the cap applying lever movement causes the actual reshaping of the cap to insure sealing engagement of the cap with the rim around the bottle mouth.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a bottle cap applying plunger in a capping device of this type wherein the plunger has a thrust head portion movably mounted on the associated plunger stem portion so as to be capable of substantially universal pivoting movement relative to the stem portion.

It is still another object of this invention to utilize a magnetized plunger thrust head so that the cap to be applied by the capping device may be quickly and easily mounted in the device and retained in proper position while the cap is being brought into engagement with the associated bottle mouth.

It is a furthehr object of this invention to provide an improved type of bottle capping device that is of relatively simple design, rugged, lightweight, portable, and of a relatively small size.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the following description and the related drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational view of a capping device embodying this invention being applied to the mouth of a bottle;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the completion of the first portion of the cap applying lever movement;

Fig. 3 is another sectional elevational view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the completion of the cap applying operation;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of this bottle capper device, this view being taken looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 4 applied to Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the plunger head thrust plate mounting.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings show the neck portion of a bottle B that terminates in an enlarged head portion 10. The neck head portion 10 includes a ring-like rim formation 11 at its upper edge. The rim 11, located at the mouth of the bottle neck portion, is adapted to receive a so-called crown-type cap 13 which cap includes a depending peripheral flange 14. The flange 14 of the cap 13 may be crimped and is adapted to be reshaped during cap application so that it is clinched about the neck rim 11 so as to hold the cap 13 in sealing engagement with the mouth of the bottle B. The inner or under side of the top of cap 13 is preferably covered with a compressible gasket material 15 that may be cork and/or a metallic foil or some similar material.

The bottle capper device comprises essentially a cap shaping die element 2 a die plunger element 40 reciprocably mounted within the die element 20, and a lever element 50 rockably mounted on the die element 20 so as to effect movement of the die element 20 and the plunger element 40 under certain conditions.

The die element 20 comprises a cup-shaped head portion having outwardly flaring or frusto-conical side Walls 21. The tapered side walls 21 of the die element are arranged to provide a wedging effect that clinches the side walls 14 of the cap 13 about the bottle mouth rim portion 11 as the cup-shaped die 20 is forced down on the cap 13 and its associated bottle head. The side walls 21 of the die element 20 are pierced by a slot 22 (see Fig. 3) that normally receives the latch element 23 of the trigger 24. Trigger 24 will be subsequently described in detail. The portions of the side Walls 21 of the die element 20 that include the slot 22 are extended downwardly to provide a born or leg portion 25 that is shaped to matingly fit about the associated bottle neck. The die leg portion 25 is pierced by a slot 27 that provides a hinging pintle formation for both the trigger element 24 and the lever element 50.

Trigger element 24 has a reversely bent lip 28 along its lower edge that engages around the upper edge of the die leg slot 27 so as to hingedly connect the trigger 24 to the die element 20. The trigger element 24 also has a pair of spaced apart legs 26, 26 that are adapted to be engaged by portions of the lever element 59 during the bottle capping operation. A spring pressed lever arm 29 extends outwardly from the trigger 24 and is arranged for actuation by the associated lever 50 as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

The lever element 50 is of substantially Y-shaped plan configuration (see Fig. 4) and reminds one of a conventional open ended wrench. The shank portion 51 of the lever 50 is bifurcated at one end to provide the pair of spaced apart legs 52, 52. Legs 52, 52 are adapted to receive therebetween the neck portion of a bottle or the like. The free ends of the lever legs 52 may be dished along their inner edges, as shown at 53, so as to provide cuplike portions that engage the lower part of the enlarged or bulbous bottle head portion 10 during a cap applying process. Legs 52, 52 also swing into engagement with the trigger legs 26, 26 during cap application to rock the trigger 24 clockwise during the capping operation.

The edge portion of the U-shaped opening along the bight between the lever legs 52, 52 is reversely bent to provide an upstanding flange 54. This flange 54 is engaged with and rocks against the lip 28 of the trigger 24. Fastened to the upper side of the lever shank 51, by a bolt or rivet or the like 55, is a leaf spring 56. The leaf spring 56 is arranged to exert a force against the finger 29 of the trigger 24 tending to rock the trigger counterclockwise about its hinge lip 23 so that the trigger latch or blocker element 23 will seat in the slot 22 of the cup shaped die 20. The finger 29 of the trigger 24 may be provided with a slot 30 to receive the free end portion of the leaf spring 56.

thrust rod tilt.

amines The bolt 521' that fastens the leaf spring as to the upper side of the lever shank 51 also fastens a plate 57 to the underside of the lever shank portion 551. The plate 57 has its forward end formed with a turned down lip 58 that is hooked over and hingedly engaged with the lower edge of the slot 27 in the die element leg 25. The plate 57 has its rear end 59 bent to provide a wall through which the shaft of a bullet-shaped thrust rod 60 extends. The thrust rod on has its shaft portion slidably mounted in the plate wall 59 and it has a pro-compressed coil spring (if threaded about its shaft portion and arranged to extend between the plate 59 and the enlarged head on the The point on the end of the thrust rod head portion is seated in a hole fill that pierces the die leg portion 25. The compressed coil spring 61 continuously exerts a force on the lever Stil that tends to rotate the lever 50 counterclockwise about its pivotal connection 58 to the die leg 25.

The lever has its end portion 63 that is opposite the bottle receiving legs 52, 52, formed to a substantially circular shape. Depending from thiscircular portion 63, for approximately one-half of the circumference thereof is a flange portion 64. Flange portion 64 has its lower edge bent forwardly to provide a lip as. This lip formation 65 is adapted to be engaged beneath the edge of a bottle cap to facilitate removal of the cap from the bottie. This general type of cap remover is old in the art and does not require additional description. However, there is shown associated with this bottle cap remover 6365 a feature that improves the operation of this type of cap remover. It will be noted that in the center and on the underside of the circular portion as is a dimplelike formation 66. When the cap remover portion 63 is applied to the cap of a bottle to remove the cap it will be found that the dimple formation 66 is pressed into and that it depresses the top of the bottle cap during the cap removing process. This denting of the cap top causes an outward springing of the cap side flanges and thus it not only makes cap removal easier but it also conditions the cap so that it may be readily reapplied to the bottle and readily reshaped to lit the bottle mouth rim.

Mounted within the cup-shaped die portion of the die element 2%, for movement axially of the cup portion, is a plunger element 4d. T his plunger element 41 comprises a stepped stem portion 41 that has its smaller upper end slidably mounted in an aperture in the bottom of the cupshaped die element 29. A washer 42 is connected to the free end of the smaller stem portion by a screw 43. Washer 4 2 anchors the plunger element iii to the die element 2%. The other end of the plunger stein All is formed with an enlarged washer-like head portion 44 that serves as a guide for preventing cocking or tilting of the plunger 40 during its axial movement within the cupshaped die element 20. Extending between the washerlike guide head 44 of the plunger 4% and the bottom of the cup-shaped die element 2% is a precompressed coil spring 45 that continuously urges the plunger as downwardly. Also formed on the enlarged lower end of the plunger stem ill is stud :6 having a ball-like end. Loosely anchored to the plunger stem ll by the stud 46 is a thrust plate or Washer 47 that may be magnetized. The thrust plate 47, if magnetized, will readily retain a bottle cap placed adjacent thereto while the bottle cap is being brought into position for application to the mouth of a bottle neck. Plate 47 transmits lever created forces to the top of the associated bottle cap 13 during cap application. Due to the loose ball joint connection between stud 46 and thrust plate 47, the plate 47 may readily rock to adjust itself to any angularity of the bottle rim and thus insure an equal pressure application to the entire area of the cap 13 during the final stages of the capping operation.

Fig. 6 shows the relative positions of the cup-type die 29, the plunger head 4 the rockable thrust plate 4-7 and the bottle cap 13, just prior to engagement of the bottle cap 13 with the rim 11 on the bottle neck. It will be noted that at this time the thrust plate 47 is tilted or cocked at an angle to the horizonal so that it extends upwardly and towards the lever 5'0 at the right. This angularity of the thrust plate 47 in its normal positon is a feature that has been found to materially improve the capping operation of a capper of this general type. The initial angularity of the thrust plate 4.7 results from the substantially C-shaped spring element 71 that is arranged between the plunger head 44 and the thrust plate 47. Spring element 71 has its two legs offset with respect to one another so that they cook the rockable thrust plate 47 in the manner shown. Spring element 71 is fixedly connected to the plunger head 44 by tack means not shown. The plunger head 44 will not rotate within the cup-shaped die 20 because of the keyway connection 21a, 41a between the cup-shaped die 26 and the plunger stem 41;. As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the top of the cup-shaped die 29 has a finger portion 21a that extends into a longitudinally extending slot or keyway ila in the plunger stem 41. This connection 21in, lla insures that the thrust plate 47 will always be tilted in the same direction when it is not engaged with a bottle neck and thus the bottle cap will always be brought into engagement with the bottle neck in the same and the most advantageous manner. It has been found that by having the spring element 71 initially cock or tilt the thrust plate 47 and the attached bottle cap 13 in the manner shown in Fig-6 that first the left side of the cap 15 will be engaged with the bottle neck rim and thereafter with increased downward pressure on the lever St) the cap 13 will be rolled downwardly and to the right over the bottle neck rim 11 to the horizontal position shown in Fig. l. The arrangement of the spring element 71 as shown, such that it will insure a rolling of the cap 13 into position on the top of the bottle neck, is one of the features that distinguishes this bottle copper from prior constructions.

In using this device as a bottle capper the cap 13 is first inserted into the cup-shaped die element 2i! and pressed against the magnetized thrust plate 47 which will retain the cap because of its 'magnetic attraction for the cap material. The various elements of the bottle capper device will be in the positions shown in Fig. 6 when the capping operation is started. During the initial downward movement of the lever St the cap 13 is first rolled into position on the bottle rim ll until it assumes the position shown in Fig. 1. it will be noted that at this time the latch or blocker element 23 of the pivotally mounted trigger 24 is seated in the :die cup slot 22 so that it has portions projecting into the die cup interior and located so that they contact the upper side of the plunger head 44. The latch or blocker element 23: thus prevents any upward movement of the plunger head 44 towards the bottom of the cup-shaped die Ztl during the first portion of the capping operation. Due to latch element 23 blocking upward movement of the plunger head 44 towards the bottom of the cup-shaped die 2d, during the initial portion of the capping operation, it is thought to be obvious that the clockwise or downward movement of the lever 50 through the angle P merely snaps the cap 13 into position on the mouth of the bottle preparatory to the clinching of the bottle cap flange portions 14 about the bottle rim 11. During this initial swing of the lever St) through the angle P, the lever legs 52, 5'2 swing up against the bottle head portion lit and move the head portion into engagement with the cap 13. Also, during this movement of the lever 50 through the angle P the lever legs 52, 52. move into engagement with the legs 26, 26 of the trigger 24. However, at this time the latch 23 of the trigger 24 is still blocking upward movement of the plunger head 44 so that the die cup 20 cannot move downwardly relative to the cap 13 and cause contraction of the cap flanges 14 about the bottle rim 11. As the lever 50 completes its swing through the angle P (see Fig. 2) the lever legs 52, 52 engage the trigger legs 26, 26 and rock the trigger 24 clockwise so that the trigger latch 23 is cammed out of the die cup slot 22. When trigger latch element 23 is moved out of the die cup slot 22 then the plunger head 44 is freed so that it may move upwardly into the bottom of the die cup. With the plunger head 44 free to move up into the die cup 20 then on continued downward movement of the lever 50 through angle S (see Fig. 3) the cup 20 will be forced downwardly about the side flanges 14 of the cap 13 and the tapering side walls 21 of the die cup 20 will clinch the cap side flanges 14 about the bottle rim 11. It will be noted that during this latter movement the lever legs 52, 52 are continuously causing clockwise movement of the trigger 24 due to their engagement with the trigger legs 26, 26.

On completion of the downward movement of lever 50 through the angle S, and on release of the cap applying pressure, the compressed plunger spring 45 will force the plunger element 41 downwardly and free the bottle cap and associated bottle mouth from the cup-shaped die 20. Also, the compressed spring 61 will return the lever 50 and trigger 24 to their normal positions as shown in Fig. l and the capper will then be ready for the next capping operation.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that an improved type of bottle capper has been provided due to the novel lever operated trigger structure 24, 5'0 that insures an initial snapping of the bottle cap 13 into position on the mouth of the bottle B before the lever 50 is operative to force the cap clinching die 20 against the cap side flanges 14 to sealingly connect the cap to the mouth of the bottle B. This novel lever operated trigger structure 24, Sit in combination with the rockably mounted, magnetized, plunger mounted thrust plate 47 provides a greatly improved type of capping device.

I claim:

1. A bottle capper comprising a cup-shaped die element, a cap engaging plunger element reciprocably mounted in said die element for movement longitudinally thereof, latch means mounted on said die element to normally restrict movement of the plunger element into said die element, and a lever element pivotally connected to said die element having first portions engageable with portions of a bottle neck to urge said bottle neck into engagement with the cap engaging plunger during the initial portion of cap applying lever movement and other portions engageable with said latch means to efifect release thereof after a predetermined amount of cap applying lever movement.

2. A bottle capper comprising a cup-shaped die element, a cap engaging plunger element reciprocably mounted in said die element for movement axially there of, resilient means urging said plunger element towards the open end of the cup-shaped die element, latch means shiftably mounted on said die element having portions arranged to normally prevent movement of the plunger element towards the closed end of the cup-shaped die element, and a lever pivotally mounted on said die element having a bottle engaging portion to urge said bottle neck into engagement with the cap engaging plunger during the initial portion of cap applying lever movement and other portions engageable with said latch means to operate same and release said plunger element for movement towards the cloesd end of the die element after completion of a predetermined amount of cap applying lever movement.

3. A bottle capper comprising a cup-shaped die element, a cap engaging plunger element reciprocably mounted in said die element for movement axially thereof, resilient means urging said plunger element towards the open end of the cup-shaped die element, latch means shiftably mounted on said die element having portions arranged to normally prevent movement of the plunger element towards the closed end of the cup-shaped die element, a lever pivotally mounted on said die element having a bottle engaging portion to urge said bottle neck into engagement with the cap engaging plunger during the initial portion of cap applying lever movement and other portions engageable with said latch means to operate same and release said plunger element for movement towards the closed end of the die element after a completion of said initial portion of cap applying lever movement, and resilient means normally urging said lever to a non-Iatch-releasing position.

4. A bottle capper comprising a cup-shaped die element, a cap engaging plunger element reciprocably mounted in said die element for movement axially thereof, resilient means urging said plunger element towards the open end of the cup-shaped die element, latch means shiftably mounted on said die element having portions arranged to normally prevent movement of the plunger element towards the closed end of the cup-shaped die element, a lever pivotally mounted on said die element having a bottle engaging portion to urge said bottle neck into engagement with the cap engaging plunger during the initial portion of cap applying lever movement and other portions engageable with said latch means to operate same and release said plunger element for movement towards the closed end of the die element after a completion of said initial portion of cap applying lever movement, and resilient means normally urging said lever to a nonlatch-releasing position, said plunger element having portions thereof of magnetized material to facilitate retention of a bottle cap on said plunger within said die element.

5. A bottle capper comprising a cup-shaped die element, a cap engaging plunger element reciprocably mounted in said die element for movement. axially thereof, resilient means urging said plunger element towards the open end of the cup-shaped die element, latch means shiftably mounted on said die element having portions arranged to normally prevent movement of the plunger element towards the closed end of the cup-shaped die element, a lever pivotally mounted on said die element having a bottle engaging portion to urge said bottle neck into engagement with the cap engaging plunger during the initial portion of cap applying lever movement and other portions engageable with said latch means to operate same and release said plunger element for movement towards the closed end of the die element after a completion of said initial portion of cap applying lever movement, and resilient means normally urging said lever to a non-latch-releasing position, said plunger element having the thrust transmitting portion thereof that is engageable with the associated bottle cap rockably connected to the other portions of the plunger element to insure uniform distribution of the thrust forces between the plunger and associated cap.

6. A bottle capper comprising a cup-shaped die element, a cap engaging plunger element reciprocably mounted in said die element for limited movement axially thereof, resilient means urging said plunger element towards the open end of the cup-shaped die element, a trigger means p-ivotally mounted on said die element having blocker portions arranged to extend within the die element and normally prevent movement of the plunger element towards the closed end of the cup-shaped die element, a lever pivotally mounted on said die element having a bifurcated bottle engaging portion whereby the bottle may be engaged and moved into engagement with the cap engaging plunger during the first part of cap applying lever movement, said lever also having portions engagea'hle with said trigger means during the second part of cap applying lever movement to operate the trigger and withdraw said blocker portions from said die element to release said plunger element for movement towards the closed end of the die element after a completion of said second part of cap applying lever movement, and resilient means normally urging said lever to a non-latch-releasing position.

7. A bottle capper comprising a cup-shaped die element, a cap engaging plunger element re'oiprocably mounted in said die element for limited movement axially thereof, resilient means urging said plunger element towards the open end of the cup-shaped die element, trigger means pivotally mounted on said die element having blocker port-ions arranged to extend within the die element and normally prevent movement of the plunger element towards the closed end of the cup-shaped die element, a lever pivotally mounted on said die element having a bifurcated bottle engaging portion whereby the bottle may be engaged and moved into engagement with the cap engaging plunger during the first part of cap applying lever movement, said lever also having port-ions engageable with said trigger means during the second part of cap applying lever movement to operate the trigger and withdraw said blocker portions from said die element to release said plunger element for movement towards the closed end of the die element after a completion of said second part of cap applying lever movement, resilient means normally urging said lever to a non-latchreleasing position and .a thrust plate rockably mounted on the cap engaging end of said plunger.

8. A bottle capper comprising a cup-shaped die element, a cap engaging plunger element reciprocably mounted in said die element for limited movement axially thereof, resilient means urging said plunger element towards the open end of the cup-shaped die element, trigger means pivotally mounted on said die element having blocker portions arranged to extend within the die element and normally prevent movement of the plunger element towards the closed end of the cup-shaped die element, a lever pivotally mounted on said die element having a bifurcated bottle engaging portion whereby the bottle may be engaged and moved into engagement with the cap engaging plunger during the first part of cap applying lever movement, said lever also having portions engageable with said trigger means during the second part of cap applying lever movement to operate the trigger and withdraw said blocker portions from said die element to release said plunger element for movement towards the closed end of the die element after a completion of said second part of cap applying lever movement, resilient means normally urging said lever to a non-latchreleasing position and a thrust plate rockably mounted on the cap engaging end of said plunger, said thrust plate having a resilient means associated therewith that normally tilts said thrust plate relative to the plunger element axis.

9. A bottle capper comprising a cup-shaped die element, a cap engaging plunger element reciprocably mounted in said die element for limited movement axially thereof, resilient means urging said plunger element towards the open end of the cup-shaped die element, trigger means pivotally mounted on said die element having blocker portions arranged to extend within the die element and normally prevent movement of the plunger element towards the closed end of the cup-shaped die element, a lever pivotally mounted on said die element having a bifurcated bottle engaging portion whereby the bottle may be engaged and moved into engagement with the cap engaging plunger during the first part of cap applying lever movement, said lever also having port-ions engageable with said trigger means during the second part of cap applying lever movement to operate the trigger and withdraw said 'blocker portions from said die element to release said plunger element for movement towards the closed end of the die element after a completion of said second part of cap applying lever movement, resilient means normally urging said lever to a non-latch-releasing position and a magnetized thrust plate rockably mounted on the cap engaging end of said plunger.

10. A bottle capper to sealingly press a cap onto the mouth of a bottle comprising a cup-shaped die element, a plunger element recipro'cably mounted in said die element, a rockably mounted, normally tilted, thrust plate carried by said plunger element and engageable with the bottle cap to be applied to the bottle during a capping operation, latch means on said die element to initially restrict movement of the plunger element into said die element, and :a lever element pivotally connected to said die element having first portions engageable with portions of a bottle neck to urge said bottle neck int-o engagement with the cap during the initial portion of cap applying lever movement and other portions engageable with said latch means to eifect release thereof after a completion of the initial portion of cap applying lever movement to permit movement of the cap and plunger into said die to sealingly engage the cap with the bottle mouth.

ll. A bottle capper comprising a cup-shaped die element, a plunger element reciproc-ably mounted in said die element for movement axially thereof, a rockably mounted, normally tilted, thrust plate carried by said plunger element and engageable with the bottle cap during a capping operation, resilient means urging said plunger element towards the open end of the cup-shaped die element, latch means shiftably mounted on said die element having portions arranged to initially prevent movement of the plunger element towards the closed end of the cup-shaped die element, a lever pivotally mounted on said die element having a bottle engaging portion to initially urge said bottle neck into engagement with a cap and to earn said tilted cap into flush engagement with the bottle neck during the first portion of cap applying lever movement and other portions engageable with said latch means to operate same and release said plunger element for movement towards the closed end of the die element after a predetermined amount of cap applying lever movement to cause the die element to sealingly shape said cap about the bottle neck, and resilient means normally urging said lever to a non-latch-releasing position.

12. A bottle capper comprising a cup-shaped die element, a plunger clement reciprocably mounted in said die element for movement axially thereof, resilient means urging said plunger element towards the open end of the cup-shaped die element, latch means shittably mounted on said die element having portions arranged to prevent movement of the plunger element towards the closed end of the cup-shaped die element, a lever pivotally mounted on said die element having a bottle engaging portion to initially urge said bottle neck into engagement with a cap carried by said plunger during cap applying lever movement and other portions engageahle with said latch means to operate same and release said plunger element for movement towards the closed end of the die element after a predetermined amount of cap applying lever movement, and resilient means normally urging said lover to a non-latclnreleasing position, said plunger element having the thrust transmitting portion thereof that is engageable with the associated bottle cap rockably connected to the other portions of the plunger element and resilient means associated with said thrust transmitting portions to normally tilt the thrust transmitting portions relative to a horizontal plane.

l3. A bottle capper comprising an axially tapering, annular die element, a cap engaging plunger element reciprocably mounted in said die element for movement axially thereof, resilient means urging said plunger elerncnt towards the larger open end of the die element, latch means mounted on said die element having portions arranged to initially prevent movement of the plunger element into the die towards the smaller end thereof, a lever pivotally connected to said die element and arranged to effect relative movement between the die and the bottle to be capped, said lever initially moving the cap engaging plunger into engagement with the bottle after which continued cap applying lever movement operates said latch means to release said plunger element for movement to- 9 wards the smaller end of the die element to sealingly en- 1,349,097 Phillips Aug. 10, 1920 gage the cap with the bottle, and resilient means normally 1,351,539 Roberts et a1. Aug. 31, 1920 urging said lever to a non-lat=:h-releasing position. 1,631,289 Reardon June 7, 1927 2,196,877 Spengler Apr. 9, 1940 References Cited in the file of this patent 5 2,481,284 Bloomfield et a1. Sept. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENTS 979,378 Carey Dec. 20, 1910 

